[jcmanson]

Not by much, Atrain. Memphis had a down year but is on par with ECU in general. Geography is ECU's best calling card for expansion.

Not so fast my friend. ECU is 2 time defending conference champs. Since 2005, ECU is 38-26 while Memphis is 24-38.

TV Market matters far more than Football records, and Basketball matters more than Football for the Big East.

I never said it didn't. Sly said Memphis and ECU were on par in football.

[dbackjon]

Basketball matters more than Football for the Big East.

This is where I think you're wrong. It's 50/50 right now. Of course, basketball is more important to your basketball only schools and maybe UConn and Syracuse, but you've got the rest of the football schools pushing football really hard.

And even with football driving, if the decision is Memphis vs East Carolina, despite ECU's recent success, is there THAT big a difference in potential? In fact, I would think Memphis has more potential in the long run.

[SuperJon]

ECU brings in Raleigh and Charlotte. I would think that puts them over.

[dbackjon]

ECU brings in Raleigh and Charlotte. I would think that puts them over.

Do you really think anyone in raleigh or Charlotte cares much about ECU? Seriously?





BTW - good debating with you guys - you need to stop by cs and say hi

[SuperJon]

Being from North Carolina, I honestly do believe people in Charlotte and Raleigh care about ECU. ECU has a huge fan base east of Raleigh. When they're doing something positive, Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston, and Greensboro all cover it. Being in the Big East would put ECU in Raleigh and Charlotte all of the time. A lot of people outside of North Carolina don't realize how big of a deal ECU (and in some way App State) is in this state.

[Sly Fox]

I believe I said "not by much" in regard to ECU's edge over Memphis in regard to football superiority. Frankly I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a Cincy-style bump in football for the Tigers as an BCS school which would level playing field with Arkansas & Miss schools in recruiting efforts.

And Memphis would bring in Nashvillee & Little Rock as much as ECU would the Triangle.

[SuperJon]

Another thing that hasn't been said is that ECU would bring the Big East exposure in the spring and summer months because of baseball, which in the current setup, is a complete wasteland for that conference.

[dbackjon]

Another thing that hasn't been said is that ECU would bring the Big East exposure in the spring and summer months because of baseball, which in the current setup, is a complete wasteland for that conference.

Good point - gives the northern teams a place to play conference games earlier in the season (along with USF).

Louisville and ECU both made the sweet sixteen last year in Baseball.

[SuperJon]

When you're trying to compete with the Big Ten, Big XII, SEC, and ACC as a "power conference," one team making the Super Regionals isn't enough.

[dbackjon]

When you're trying to compete with the Big Ten, Big XII, SEC, and ACC as a "power conference," one team making the Super Regionals isn't enough.

C-USA did have two last year - C-USA baseball is far better than Big East baseball.

[SuperJon]

Agreed 100% on that. Conference USA is a great baseball conference.

[Sly Fox]

Back when Louisville was in the C-USA they were desperately trying to keep up with the Southern schools. Cincy still hasn't thrown itself into a real baseball program ... back before the league switch they were playing home games at rec league ballparks against UH & Rice when both were Top 10 programs.

But let's be honest, baseball has little to nothing to do with any realignment discussions.

[uncafan]

Back when Louisville was in the C-USA they were desperately trying to keep up with the Southern schools. Cincy still hasn't thrown itself into a real baseball program ... back before the league switch they were playing home games at rec league ballparks against UH & Rice when both were Top 10 programs.

But let's be honest, baseball has little to nothing to do with any realignment discussions.

http://www.gobearcats.com/facilities/sc ... adium.html While they certainly aren't a top 25 team, their facilities are certainly on par, if not better than most major baseball program's.


Just a side note -- anyone catch ESPN I think it was OTL this afternoon? I was in the gym so could only see the screen (couldn't hear details) -- i know great story -- but it was a story about college football and conference revenue and at one point they were showing a graph of the annual revenue for conferences... I know we've discussed some of it here but I was astonished how little money the Pac-10 brings in... If i recall correctly (too lazy to find the graph) Big Ten is around $245 million annual revenue, SEC is just over $205 million, every other conference was below $100 million... Big 12 at around 95, followed by ACC in the 60-70 range, and then Pac-10 at $58 million and then Big East.

Just surprised, but I guess it sort of makes sense considering TV deals and exposure.

[Sly Fox]

Hadn't seen the house that Schottzie built since it opened about the time I was getting out of the business. They were playing games against UH at some rec league fields I used to play on as a kid in California. Glad to see the investment although that little ballpark is far from on par with the major college programs. We have high schools here in Texas with nicer facilities. Although admittedly it is on par with UH which should be ashamed of its little ballpark in a baseball hotbed like Houston.

[uncafan]

Hadn't seen the house that Schottzie built since it opened about the time I was getting out of the business. They were playing games against UH at some rec league fields I used to play on as a kid in California. Glad to see the investment although that little ballpark is far from on par with the major college programs. We have high schools here in Texas with nicer facilities. Although admittedly it is on par with UH which should be ashamed of its little ballpark in a baseball hotbed like Houston.

Well yeah -- i mean, its not quite as big but just as nice as the regional schools they compete with (Ohio State etc.) and certainly as nice as a lot of southern 'traditional' baseball schools like NC State, Tennessee etc. but you are right, not an elite facility at all...

Wow, although can't say i'm shocked about rec league fields...i've seen it happen, especially up here in the north

[4everfsu]

From a football standpoint I see the Big East picking ECU over Memphis. ECU has better facilities, Memphis needs a new stadium, one of the issues Tommy West said at his firing meeting. Memphis needs to spend money on its football team.

[LUconn]

But they've got FedEx money.

[Cider Jim]

And some of the best BBQ and Blues in the world.

[bigsmooth]

found this good article...

http://frankthetank.wordpress.com/2009/ ... of-orange/

[LUconn]

most interesting part of the article:

http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/conte ... ml?nav=742

It had been widely speculated the Big Ten's bylaws, which are not public record, stipulated that any expansion school had to meet two criteria. One, it had to be a member of the academically prestigious Association of American Universities, which includes only 62 schools, and it also had to be in or border a state with an existing Big Ten institution.

Those criteria, if in place, would have limited the number of large, athletically successful schools the Big Ten could have gone after to about 10.

The two stipulations, it turns out, do not have to be met.

"There are no restrictions regarding expansion - potential additions are not required to be in the AAU, and they do not have to be in (or adjacent to) the eight Big Ten states," league spokesman Scott Chipman wrote in an e-mail.

So that touching state rule is bogus.

[ALUmnus]

Why are the Big 10's bylaws not public record?

[JK37]

That's a fantastic article. He certainly convinced me. Although I did notice that from Missouri down, a lot more was speculation/opinion, as opposed to the facts of earlier candidates who were negated simply by facts.

I love his continuous reminder that people can't think about this as fans; they must consider it as a president would.

Fans are stupid.

[Sly Fox]

Let me repeat, the chances of Texas joining the Big Ten are less than zero. There would be a revolt from the mega-boosters like Hicks, McCombs and Jamail. The Pac-10 was a much more viable option at the death of the SWC that our own clueless commish Kyle Kallander oversaw. But the Texas Legislature would not let its too superpowers consider such a move at the time. Obviously A&M is no longer considered on such a high perch (sorry, Zack) but it still is tied at the hip to UT in any potential move. One can go nowhere without the other.

[ATrain]

And the Big Tenleven is now talking to: TEXAS

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/feb/1 ... as/?sports

[Purple Haize]

I am also one of the few fans of the Big Ten. Having grown up in the midwest I have sentimental roots to the league. (Even though it is over rated in football!)
Notre Dame is always the logical choice, but unles ND initiates it, I don't see the league going to them first. The Big East is a really good fit for them b/c of all the alumni that live/work in the NE.
Kentucky?!? Seriously?!?! They are SEC thru and thru. No benefit for them moving.
Lousiville might be a possiblity, but would you really want the #2 university in a small/medium state?
Cincy has not demonstrated the consistent level of winning in any sport so I think you can put them still in the "flash in the pan" category.
Pitt gives you a nice Penn State rivalry but would you say that Pitt views PSU as a rival? They certainly are not Pitt's #1 rival.
Which leads to WVU. THAT is the best option. WVU really does not benefit from Big East exposure and would be moving into a conference more geographically suited. They would still have the rivalry with Pitt, and the last time WVU and PSU played it was AWESOME. The Big 10 would have the ENTIRE state of WV supporting them. It is crazy really! As for academics? Really? While Michigan and Northwestern are the most academically elite schools in the conference, are the admission criteria at Iowa, IU, or Illinois THAT much more stringent then WVU? No. To me this is the winner in the lottery. (Unless ND calls)